London: Notices appeared in newspapers across Britain on Tuesday detailing how victims of sexual abuse by former BBC presenter Jimmy Savile could apply for compensation.
Around 140 people have so far made claims against the late DJ, once one of Britain’s biggest TV stars but revealed after his death to be one of its most prolific sex offenders.
Savile died in October 2011 aged 84, leaving an estate valued at £3.3 million (Dh20 million or $5.6 million).
A High Court judge in February authorised a scheme to allow victims to claim compensation from the estate, and also approved the publication of newspaper advertisements.
The ads appeared in Tuesday’s edition of The Times and the Daily Mirror newspapers as well as some local papers, and gave contact details of the lawyers handling the case.
Claimants were urged to come forward within six weeks — by June 3 — although the scheme is open for a year, after which no further payouts will be made.
Not everyone who applies will be successful, and individual payments will be capped at £60,000, according to the BBC.
An investigation last year by police and child protection authorities found that allegations of 214 criminal offences had been made against Savile involving victims as young as eight.
They concluded he had used his fame as a presenter of the BBC chart show “Top of the Pops” and children’s programme “Jim’ll Fix It” to rape and assault his victims, most of them women.
He also abused the position of trust afforded to him by his extensive charity work, preying on children and adults in a range of locations, including hospitals.
As well as Savile’s estate, the state-run National Health Service (NHS) hospitals and the BBC are also the target of compensation claims.
